Here come another one
by Shoba-orionson
Summary: yup. it's another HIE fic. but this time, with an older human than most fics have. Still not entirely sure myself where this one will head, as this is my first fic in several years. rating and genre may change as the story progresses
1. Chapter 1

Here it is, yet another self-insertion HIE fanfiction. I'll be the first to admit that this will most likely not be the worlds greatest story by any stretch.

A little about me, I'm in my 20s, male, and love cartoons. everything from outlaw star, to Ponyo, to SWAT cats, and yes, obviously, MLP, FIM. Oh how my little sister would laugh at me now, if she knew. I used to tease her a a kid for always playing with the GEN-1 ponies, and wanting to watch their movies over and over again when the Mighty Morphing Power Rangers were on instead.(Ahhhhhhhh long past days of my youth, why did you leave me?) But despite all of this, my greatest love is Fanfiction. I started over a decade ago, when my best friend wrote a fanfic about the anime series Tenchi Muyo. I then wrote one for FF8, and was hooked. However, over the years I transitioned from writer, to reader, to beta, to co-author, and finally just to side-liner.

Now I'm coming back into the world of Fanfiction with the MLP bronie crew. ...and thats about all you probably want to hear about me, so on to the story!

oh and disclaimer...i don't own MLP or the song 'my first kiss' by 303.

Josh blinked a few times as the light from the sun blinded him. A second later he pulled his leather jacket closer around himself. Shivering slightly as his breath turned to mist in the cold December air, he looked up at the clear blue sky and shoved his hands deep into his pockets. Hurrying across the parking lot to his car, he said a few goodbyes and farewells to those he wouldn't see for a few weeks. He had 2 weeks of vacation on the books at the factory where he worked and if he didn't take it by the end of the year he would lose it as company policy didn't include a vacation-rollover clause.

So, he had decided to take the last two weeks of the year off to celebrate the holidays as well as his birthday. It was December 17th, 2010. Exactly 2 days prior to his birthday.

Getting into his car, he let out a soft exclamation of how cold it was within the enclosed area, and put his Keys into the ignition, wriggling as much as possible to keep moving in the small space so his body would make more heat to warm the air around him. After giving his engine a few minutes to warm up, Josh backed up out of the space he had parked in that morning and began the drive home. The blue 4-door Toyota corolla's steering wheel was cold enough to cause him a little discomfort. Stopping at a red traffic light, He leaned over and opened his glove box, to remove his leather gloves. They were also cold and didn't help much, since the cold leather was stiff in an extreme way.

As the car's heater finally began to kick in, Josh shivered, breathing his frosty breath downwards to try, and prevent the windshield from fogging up. After a few more lights, he turned onto the interstate and headed for his one-bedroom apartment.

Walking in the front door, Josh put his keys down and the muttering under his breath picked them back up as he went back out into the cold to get the milk he had forgotten to pick up on his way home.

At the grocery store, He picked up not only his milk, but a small serving of chocolate cake to have on his birthday. His father would probably forget again. And the rest of his family would put it off until Christmas, since they were on the same week this year. Grabbing a few other necessities, including a fresh card for his pre-paid phone, and a few loaves of bread just in case, Josh checked out. Then he drove back to the apartment once more.

After checking his e-mail and finding nothing but some junk mail, and a notice for the newest red-box movies (a few of which looked interesting for a bachelor) he set about making dinner. Peanut butter and jelly wasn't fancy, but for a 25 year old guy living on his own and making less than $10.00 per hour, it was a dietary staple. Adding a glass of his recently purchased milk, and a few potato chips, He had dinner.

Watching an episode of NCIS, and then cleaning up his dishes, Josh tried to push away the feelings of loneliness which had crept into his life after he and his fiancé had broken up. Putting his favorite mix cd into the cd-player and turning up the volume, Josh stripped out of his dirty clothes and placed them in the laundry basket he kept just inside the bedroom door. Stepping into the bathroom mirror, he caught his reflection out of the corner of his eye, and jumped, not recognizing himself.

He studied himself in the mirror, and chuckled. He had changed drastically in his appearance over the last few months. A steady exercise program and hard day's work at the factory had trimmed the excess fat his body had carried for so long off nicely. He wasn't ripped by any means, but his four pack of abs was beginning to emerge into a six pack. The front of his chest was sparsely covered with medium brown hair, and his chest muscles were there. Not well defined or chiseled, yet not sloppy nor were they hanging. They were simply there. Brown hair topped his head messily, as he spent little time on it. It behaved well enough so long as he kept it trimmed, but with just a bit of natural curl to it, if he let his hair get longer than about 3 inches, it became unruly and required several minutes to tame in the morning.

'….Time to schedule an appointment with Dawn again.' He thought as he ran a hair through his almost shaggy hair. He had a scruffy beard coming in as well. He really only shaved once or twice a week, so with 4 days growth on his face, He could see the fade from brown on top of his head, down to red on his chin. Blue eyes stared back at him as he sighed, and turned away to start his shower running.

The stereo began to belt out the lyrics for his second song, and he nodded his head in time with the beat as he stepped into the hot water, singing along, "….No more teachers, and no more books. I got a kiss under the bleachers hoping that nobody looked. Lips like licorice tongue like candy, excuse me miss but can I get you out your _panties…._" Soaking his hair, he lathered in shampoo, and sang along as the hot water chased away the chill that remained from driving twice earlier that afternoon.

Finishing in the shower, he stepped out, and passed the mirror once again. He froze, and turned back to look again.

Strange…..he had been sure …. out of the corner of his eye of course…That the mirror had been frosted not fogged over, and instead of his own sideways reflection…

…..nah…..

He continued towelling himself off, and continued on to his bedroom. Slipping on a pair of boxer-briefs, he climbed into bed. After laying down, he closed his eyes, only to re-open them, climb out of bed again, and brush his teeth.

***the next day***

Waking up Josh climbed out of bed sleepily to turn off the alarm clock. He stumbled around the room bleary eyed before his half-asleep brain reminded him that he didn't have to work today. Since there was no need to be up at 4:35AM, He collapsed back onto the bed, his jeans still pulled halfway up his calves.

After a few more hours of sleep, he stood and stretched. At some point he had kicked his pants back off and out of the bed, so he stooped down, shook them out, and put them back on. Stretching again he walked into the kitchen, and marked another day off his calendar. It was now December 18th, and with less than 24 hours to go until his birthday, he was more than a little unsure about how to feel. Sure, he had what most of the world would consider a successful life. roof, food, clothes, car, computer, and a few friends to spend his time with. But none of this really helped him feel secure about who he was as a person. Breathing deep, and letting out a sigh for whatever unknown reason, he shook himself free of the depressing thoughts, and focused on getting some breakfast. Buttering up two slices of bread and adding a little cinnamon, he had the beginnings of a meal. By the time the toaster oven had the toast cooked, the smell of pan-seared ham was filling the small apartment. Along with a second glass of milk, he had a late breakfast, and set about filling his pockets with the usual items.

His wallet went into his rear pocket, while his keys were clipped onto his belt. A pair of pocketknives, one a simple lockblade-folder, the other a multi-tool, went into his front right pocket. A small Zippo was placed in his left pocket, and a ball point pin with some loose dollar bills got slipped in wherever he could fit them. shrugging into a grey t-shirt, he pulled on socks and boots, then went into the bathroom for his morning teeth-cleaning ritual.

After having brushed, flossed, and gargled, he scanned his apartment, making mental notes for laundry, vacuum cleaning, and giving the toilet a quick scrub. he then shrugged his jacket on, and grabbed up the gloves to be put back into his car. turning and walking out the door, he saw a flash of bright light, and was suddenly weightless.

# # # # #

"You know Twilight, This might go a lot better if there weren't two of us getting under one another's feet." Spike suggested in a slightly exasperated manner. He had been working hard all day, trying to get the library where he and his guardian/ big sister/ best friend, Twilight Sparkle had been living ever since Princess Celestia had sent them to ponyville to learn about friendship. He loved his roommate, she was all he could ask for in a big sister...

...the only problem was sometimes she was a bit more than he would ask for as well. Today was one such time. Princess Celestia was coming to visit, and Twilight was freaking out about the whole thing. Spike seemed to be taking one step forward in cleaning, just to fall five steps back when Twilight decided to re-make her entire checklist for the ump-tenth time.

"Good idea spike! You can clean up here, and I'll go check on the rest of town to see how things are going."

As The purple unicorn trotted out the door, spike tried to make the point that with her magic Twilight could fix the library far faster, but the words seemed to get tangled on his tounge, and before he knew it, she was out the door, leaving him to fume for a moment before getting to work as she asked.

# # # # #

Josh fell and landed on a wide platform-like tree branch. he looked around, trying to get his bearings, but quickly fell back against the trunk of the tree, dizzy with vertigo. the entire world seemed to be spinning on it's axis, and he could barely breathe for the pressure of it. Some where in the depths of his memories, a fragment of a TV show from britain played through his minds eye.

A man in a beaten up jacket was holding hands with an attractive blonde girl, he was speaking of how fast the earth felt, and how fragile the bond of gravity which held people to it's surface was and how he could feel every moment of every movement in space. 'Doctor, i finally know how you feel' Josh thought, just before the pressure between his eyes got to strong, and he passed out.

# # # # #

Spike stretched in bed. he had worked so hard the day before, making sure the entire library was so clean even the rough hewn wooden rafters shined like mirrors. every scale had ached, but the look on twilights face had been worth it all when she showered him with praises. then she had introduced him to the small...whatever it was...that Fluttershy had found.

"Spike! wake up! what's happened!"

Spike opened his eyes to see two blobs of yellow blurring his vision. Exclaiming at the creatures, he pulled them off his face, and looked around at the multitude of creatures in the living space he had worked so hard to clean the day before.

"Where did they come from?"

"I don't know!"

As the two worked hard to gather the small insect-like creatures, Twilight called for Spikes help. which caused him to lose focus on what he was doing, and collapse into a pile of the things he had just gathered. After being glared at by his sister, Spike hid the pain he felt in his heart by shrugging and commenting, "I know, I know, Quit fooling around."

# # # # #

Josh woke up from his Vertigo-indiced nap, to find he had somehow fallen sideways, and was precariously stretched across two branches. Straightening himself up, he climbed down slowly, and checked himself over. He still had his boots, and his clothes were dirty, but in one piece. He stood, stretched, and tried to get blood flowing in all his muscles again. Looking around, he began to try and make some sense of where he was. as he walked, he looked for any familiar land mark.

He walked for several hours it seemed, trying to find a spot where the sun shone through the foliage of this forest so he could see, to get his bearings. after some time, he saw a break in the tree canopy ahead of him, and moved forward carefully to look. There, surrounded by a seemingly long dried moat, was the ruins of an old castle. Taking the time to walk around the moat, he found a rope-bridge where he could cross...somewhat safely... and went towards the castle to see if anyone lived there...or atleast if there was anything eatable. He had long since burned off his breakfast, and was ready to find some lunch.

# # # # #

"Let's go ladies, theres no reasoning with that one, she's a few apples short of a bushel."

Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Twilight, and Rarity all rushed past a frustrated Pinkie Pie.

"Girls, I'm trying to tell you that the ruining is on the other hoof! If your just slow down and LISTEN TO ME!" Pinkie pie yelled exasperated. She had been trying to warn the others about the parasprites, and having dealt with them before, was attempting to convey to the others just how to solve their delima. But no one was listening to her, no matter how hard she tried. it was frustrating to no end to have her best friends totally ignoring her every atempt to help them out.

As the para sprites descended upon ponyville, she went and gathered up the rest of her instruments. Seeing the others there, she tried once more. "Look, tambourines, now if you could all just...GRRRRRRRRR!"

Honestly, was she the only one in all of ponyville who actually cared about what happened? Well she finally had everything she needed. Starting on the edge of town furthest away, she began to play the instruments to lure the parasprites away from the friends. Even if they didn't listen to her, there would never be any ponies like the ones she knew here in ponyville, and she would do whatever it took to protect them.

# # # # #

After searching as much as he could, Josh had finally found a small room which was closed off from the elements, and dry enough for him to feel safe. He had gathered some dried vines from the masonry surrounding the castle, and built a fire in the fireplace which was attached to the room. He was wishing for some toast, or even a glass of milk from his fridge right now, but instead chewed on some berries he had recognized in the forest as slightly under-ripe black berries. The bitter fruits were just at the perfect point where they were almost like the sweet-tart candies he had loved as a child. He ate a hand full, folded his jacket up under his head like a pillow, and laid back to sleep. He guessed this had once been a servants quarters due to the size of the fireplace, and lack of any proper furnishings, but he didn't know for sure. closing his eyes, he let himself fall into an un-easy sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

So, I don't really agree with the way the tv show proceeds. I mean one episode they wrap up winter, and welcome spring, but then it's fall two episodes later, and the gala hasn't come yet? so I'm going to be changing up the order a bit. And as you may have noticed in the first chapter, I will only be writing bits and pieces of the actual episodes while expounding on certain points. It's just how I am.

I don't have a proper title for this story still, but I hope to have one by the fifth chapter.

I don't own My little pony. Seven nation army is performed by white stripes...i don't own them either.

"What's the matter? Don't you like them?" Rarity stood in her boutique, looking at the reactions of her 5 best friends. Just months before, Twilight Sparkle had received two tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala, an event which was to happen the following spring, a few weeks prior to summer, and a full two months before the summer sol stice, the longest day of the year on which Princess Celestia publicly raised the sun. Due to the large number of important ponies invited, and the strain in fashionistas such as Rarity herself, the Gala's tickets were passed out to ponies chosen by the princess almost half a year in advance, to ensure nothing would go wrong with the scheduling. Rarity had spent the past two days, stitching every stitch with care and love to try and make dresses which would complement each of her friends personalities.

With every stitch, she had sung to herself, convinced that her work would be appreciated by those she cared about like additional sisters...even if her own sister got surprisingly underhoof at times. Now, though it seemed as if her friends were not as enthusiastic as she had hoped.

"They're very nice." Twilight sparkle said, with a large smile plastered on her face. Rarity was reminded by a slightly guilty twinge deep down that the very same smile had once adorned her face when trying to win the one extra ticket. At least before the Princess had given a total of 7 tickets to the young unicorn who was her pupil.

"And we're plum grateful..." Apple Jack, the young farm-pony spoke. In the back of her mind, Rarity wondered...not fot her first time... just what the color or fruit had to to with gratitude. "...cause you worked so hard on 'em." Twilight's eyes had glanced over at the farm hand, and now she nodded emphatically to prove she agreed.

"Mines just not a COOL as i was imagining." Rainbow Dash, the multi-hued weather pony spoke up, making both Twilight and Apple Jack jump slightly as cringe before glaring at the Pegasus. ever a tom-colt, Rainbow Miriam Dash had never been much of one for being subtle.

In the days since he had arrived, Josh had found his training in the Boy Scouts to be coming back to him. Using his trusty lock blade , he had taken down a dozen young tulip poplars, a tree he knew from experience had bark which came off easily. Using this he wove a cot for himself, using thin slat of bark like ropes to tie together a frame, then wider ones to weave a make-shift mattress so he could sleep off the ground in the castle he had now claimed as his home. He had given up on finding a way back after the third day, and not wanting to stay to far from the safety of the stone walls, he set about making his temporary home more comfortable. After the cot, he made a series of dishes by taking some bamboo canes he had found, and hollowing out sections in different ways. Two thin bowls, which in truth more resembled troughs, a pair of cups, and two sets of a wooden knife and fork rested on the mantle above the fireplace. A small pile of logs also sat by the fireplace, ready to warm the small chamber. He still had no blankets, and nothing bu the clothes he had originally come here with, but after finding a well with clean water on the grounds, he had found a way to at least clean what he had.

Foraging for food took up a large part of his day, but he had yet to run across anything else in the woods. only tracks which looked to him like deer, some form of large cat, a few snake tracks, and on one occasion, a series of shod hoofprints which seemed to belong to a young horse, or medium-sized pony. He had followed those tracks for a while, before a carpet of thick grass caused him to lose the trail. He was wary about finding anyone else in the area anyways, since he had no means but his knife to defend himself, and was unsure if the person, or people he would meet would be friendly.

Returning to the castle, and climbing to the second story room where he lived, Josh shut the door behind him, and placed his haul on the small table he had woven from leftovers from his cot. a few wild blue berries, and some cat-tail roots he had harvested from a slow-moving section of a river would be his dinner. Once again, he wished for a glass of his milk, and some of the bread he had bought. As he set about cleaning the roots, which tasted like a cross between a carrot and a potato, he hummed the music and sang the lyrics to one of the songs that had ben on his mix cd.

"...don't wanna hear about it...every single one's got a story to tell... everyone knows about it... from the Queen of England to the hounds of hell."

Placing the roots over the fire with a long thin stick he used a spit, he began cooking the starchy roots, and set the berries in a bowl to rinse them off.

"Oh your just saying that." Rarity commented. Fluttershy had come by for her second fitting, and was now modeling in front of a full length mirror to see how the new dress looked. Rarity had spent several hours working on her best friends dress, hoping to impress he spa buddy.

"No, no, I do. It's..." Fluttershy, the timid butter yellow Pegasus searched for the right word."...nice."

"...nice?"

"...nice."

"If you don't like it you should just tell me."

'Oh, but I DOO like it."

"Like it or love it?" Her mane frazzled from work, Rarity pulled herself up to full height, and cocked her ears forward to show she wanted the truth. which in fact was, if she had ever seen any other pony treat her friend as she was. The unicorn would have lit into them with a piece of her mind so large and a tounge so sharp the offending quadruped wouldn't know what hit them.

"Um..both?"

"Which is it?" The fashionista began to back the timid Pegasus into a corner both physically and metaphorically.

"Ummm please stop asking me this I" Fluttershy was unable to continue in her attempt to spare her friends feelings as Rarity interrupted her.

"Well just tell me what you really think."

"OH no, that's okay."

"Tell MEEEE"

"No, it's fine." Now pressed up against one of the columns of the boutique, Fluttershy tried to avoid eye contact, but her timid nature cause her to look towards her friend, not wanting to offend her by not looking the unicorn in the eye during their conversation.

"tellme."

"I-i like it."

"Tell me...tellmetellmetellme." The unicorn began stomping her hooves in frustration, throwing a miniature temper tantum.

"Alright...since you really want to know." Flutter shy took a deep breath to gather her courage. this would be like slapping the dress maker in the face, but the Pegasus just couldn't refuse her friend any longer.

"The armscys tight, the middy collar doesn't go with the shawl lapel, the hems are clearly machine stitched, the peats are uneven, the fabric looks like toile, you used a back stitch here, when it clearly called for a top-notch, or maybe a traditional blanket stitch, and the overall deign is reminiscent of pret-a-porter, and not true french haute couture."

Looking up from her dress, FLutter shy saw that Rarity was looking over her head with an open mouth, and seemed to be staring through the wall. 'Is this what is means to have broken some-pony?' fluttery wondered silently.

"But uh, you know... whatever you do is fine."

After dinner, Josh lay back on his small cot, his jacket once again behind his head, the wide swaths of Poplar bark creaking under his weight with a slight spring to them. he looked up at the ceiling of his small room, and sighed. what was everyone doing he wondered? Gently he drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, Rarity was showing Pinkie pie how a certain color looked when exposed to sunlight.

"Don't you think that my dress would be more..me with some lollipops?"

"Well...I..."

"Balloons?"

"...eh?"

"DO IT!" the party pony cried cheerfully.

"OH opal these are the uglies dresses I've ever made."

Rarity lay on the floor of her home, looking at the finished works her friends had asked for. she was nothing but disappointed, but it was already noon, and the fasion show was to take place in a few hours. The stage had to be set, and the entire production organized. as the presenting designer, these tasks fell to her, and she had no more time to work on the dresses she felt like she hadn't slept in days, and was bone-tired. but at least her friends would be happy. right?

Josh walked by the stream, looking at his target. some minutes ago, he had found an off-shoot of the stream. a small section which when it had rained, flowed freely, but now with the rivers level lower, acted like a tide pool on the beach, partially stranding some of the plants and fish which lived in the stream. Josh was certain he had seen a large shadow, about as long as his arm, darting about in the shallow pool.

Having not had meat in over a week, he was hungry for te substantial calories the fish would bring if he ate it, and paced like a wild animal, looking at the water, waiting to see if it would re-appear. A moment later, he stepped just far enough, and the shadow darted back towards the mouth of the pool.

Josh ran to catch it, but for he could have walked and saved himself the effort. the fish banked itself by mistake, and sat flopping and wriggling in the mud. nearly 17 inches long, the trout was large enough for two meals if he fixed it properly. taking out his knife, he killed it with one quick motion, and began to carry it back to his room in the castle.

After the short trip, he skinned, fileted, and boned the fish, setting the meat to dry over a low fire in the room he now called home. he looked over at the wall, and eyed his row of marks. it had been 14 days since he had come here, and he was still no closer to finding a way out. he missed his home, and his music. but most of all...right now he missed McDonald's.

Twilight sparkle was on her way to get ready of the fashion show as she read over the letter Spike had belched forth earlier. it was from the princess, and the young unicorn was worried about it's contents.

"My dearest student, Twilight Sparkle,

Some days ago, there was a fluctuation in the temporal magic of our realm. While my best magicians are working on it, they have yet to determine the exact cause or location. the best knowledge they have is that the Anomaly occurred somewhere within the confines of the Everfree Forest. While the Pegasus scouts have reported nothing, there is the possibility that the thick natural magic of the Forest itself is preventing this anomaly from being discovered.

I am writing to you, my most faithful student, to warn you of this event, and ask that if you see anything coming from the forest you live so close to, that you inform me immediately.

Please inform the other bearers as well, and as always, be safe.

Signed,

Princess Celestia."

Before she could contemplate the letter further, Twilight found herself at the site for the fashion show. She had never actually modeled before, only wearing some of her mothers fancy clothes while playing dress up with Cadence, her foal sitter when she was a small child herself. the prospect of finally doing something so glamorous overtook her, and she forgot all about the letter.

She could hear Spike, her assistant/friend/ younger brother starting his lines to begin the show, opening the entire show for her to make all the hard work her friend Rarity had put into the dresses worth while.

as the curtain went up, and the spotlight fell on them, the five ponies walked out, eyes closed, heads held high to impress the crowds they could all hear muttering and gasping around them. as they made it to the turntable, Apple jack asked an important question of twilight sparkle. "Why is 'very pony looking at us like that?"

Taking a moment to look at her own dress, including the stars she had suspended from her mane, Twilight had only one thing to say.

"OH dear..."

She was in a daze as Hoity-toity, whose name was known all across equestria, and even into other lands, gave a savage critique. she only barely heard the applause of spike as Rarity walked out on stage, with her head held low.

How Twilight wished for a chance to make things right, to go back in time and fix what she and the others had done wrong.

Josh finished off his second helping of the fish he had caught, and lay back, feeling better than he had all week. while he had been getting dirty, sore, and tired, he also had been surviving on precious little food until the fish had come along. not he had only a few bites left, but these he carefully smoked, and placed in one of his bamboo cups for later. plugging the top with a small stone from the floor, he drifted off peacefully to sleep.

three days later

Josh ran through the woods, sticking to his old familiar trails as he ran from the thing chasing him. LArge, REptilian, and with three heads, there was no doubt in his mind, He had lost his sanity.

After all, hydras were NOT real. He ran further, and saw the bridge which led to the castle. As he did, A plan came into his mind. He would let the creature follow him. if it tried, the bridge would snap, and the creature would no longer be able to follow him. he heard the thundering steps as the hydra emerged from the thick foliage and continued to give chase, speeding up now that it's bulk was un-inhibited by the plant matter. Josh ran, darting across the bridge, he felt the structure begin to sing and sway beneath him as he crossed.

He had to place his feet as he ran, trying to remember which boards had been partially rotten, and which were strong.

He was halfway across now, and he might make it.

Suddenly, the bridge buckled and shuddered, and the charging hydra ran out on to it. a creaking sound filled the air, and Josh winced, running faster, as one of the ropes gave way. The lower left hand rope had separated, causing the bridge to drop from horizontal to vertical. he grabbed the hand-ropes as his footing dropped, and the hydra fell with a shriek. there was a loud booming sound as the monster hit the bottom, then nothing. Daring to look down for the first time, Josh saw all three heads split open, the contents of the skulls spilt out on the jagged rocks below. he pulled himself up, and placed his feet on the one remaining lower rope. He then began to crab-walk across the bridge to the other side.

"Rarity...you okay in there?"

Pinkie pie and the others had come to see the element of generosity in her self-imposed isolation after the show. They had messed up.

There was no other way to put it. Rarity had tried to do something truly kind for them and they made her a laughing stock as a result.

"Ya haven't come out for days."

I'm never coming out again!" the fashionista wailed from behind her closed door. Pinkie Pie, self proclaimed party pony, element of laughter, and all around friendly pony, backed away with guilt on her face. "I can never show my face in ponyville again!"

As the minutes progressed, Rarity continued to wallow in...whatever it is ponies are supposed to wallow in... and the five friends tried to find out how to help the one who had tried so hard to make what would have been a once in a lifetime event even more special. Pinkies comments of "'She'll become a crazy cat lady.", and "Give her time" were not helping.

Then again, not much could be done at this point. all they could do was reverse time and have the show again with rarities original dresses.

But that was impossible...wasn't it?

Josh sat on the ground, panting as he stared over the expanse that had once been a practical bridge. Now he was unsure if he wanted to walk on it ever again. it was clear that the Bridge had been weaker on the side that snapped, but how much time had the other side had to weaken...and how much weight could it support? Josh couldn't risk falling, so for the time being it seemed he was stranded.

Finally getting up, he went to his upstairs room to think.

Thanks to thestormflash for the awesome first review. I know my grammar isn't the best in the world, but I will try to work on it in the future.


	3. Chapter 3

I don't own MLP...at all.

Thanks to those who have reviewed, and enjoyed this story so far. I'm sorry that it took me so long to update, but the last several months have been hectic with planning and helping with my little sisters wedding. she got married last week, so I hope to be able to post more frequently from here on out.

Hope to get a lot of reviews soon.

"Help! Help! Please.. There's a horrible cloud of smoke!"

In most towns, villages, and cities in Equestria, the sight of a pegasis pony running instead of flying was unusual at best. Ponyville was no exception, Yet that was exactly what Fluttershy was doing as she entered the busy square.

During her morning Chores(which included feeding some rather nasty tasting worms to several injured birds who lived near her home) her pet bunny had begun to cough. Soft at first, she had mistaken it for a piece of carrot stuck in the small furry one's throat. but as it escalated, the bunny had shown her the cloud of smoke growing quickly overhead.

As she remembered this, and tried to share the information with others, she heard Twilight sparkle doing the same, and sighed in relief. The town would be saved, and she could go back home.

Josh sat by the side of a stream. His crude shelter back a ways hidden in the undergrowth of the woods.(thank you bear grylls.) he had abandoned the castle three days after the hydra had regrown all of its heads and then some. The now six-headed reptile had blown him a raspberry, then walked away. Having run out of food, and good water to drink, but not yet willing to resort to drinking his own fluids to live, Josh had been force to re-locate.

Packing up his cot, jacket, cups and a few other items he had gathered from the castle area, he managed to make it across what was left of the bridge to the main part of the forest. it had taken him two days to find a good spot to set up his camp, and now he had a place to call home...for the time being anyways...

He was using his make-shift rod to catch a third fish. He had been able to find plentiful food here, and was working on storing up as much as he could for the months ahead. having been here for only a week, his supplies were still low. about ten smoked fish, some dried berries, and a bit of fruit he had drying in his hut(if you could call it that. the structure more readily resembled an large overturned bird-nest.)

Feeling his rod vibrate in the way that meant he was getting a nibble, Josh pulled sharply and had a rather nice looking river-bass in his hands a moment later.

"Alright girls," Twilight Sparkle, Personal student to Princess Celestia, and Head Librarian for Ponyville was walking in front of her friends in a manner her older brother, Shining armour would be proud of. "I'm mapping out the fastest route, but we all need to keep a good pace if we want to make it up the mountain before nightfall."

Fluttershy's head hung low as her eyes became pinpoints. "M-m-m-mountain?"

"The Dragon is in that cave at the very top." Twilight continued, as if the shy pony had never spoken.

"Looks pretty cold up thar." Apple Jack, the resident farm-filly, spoke out with her country drawl clear in every word.

"You bet it is!" Rainbow dash once again showing her lack of tact Spoke loud and bold, trying to incite a competition between herself and the farm-pony. "The higher you go the chillier it gets."

Before Apple jack could make a retort, Rarity commented about her scarf, Causing the two...less showy...female ponies to raise their eyebrows. Did rarity not realize all ponies had coats of fur already on them for the purposes of controlling body heat? And what good would one flimsy piece of material do anyways?

As this was happening, Fluttershy was talking to a distracted twilight, trying to talk her way out of having to go.

"Wait! you have to come. your way with wild animals will surly come in handy." When Fluttershy tried to make an excuse, Twilight told her that Spike would be watching the animals in the meadow.

Angel, Fluttershy's pet bunny who had first noticed the cloud of smoke, had different ideas.

after a few words with rainbow dash, Twilight gave the orders to move out, causing the five friends to sweep up the shy Pegasus and gallop off with her in tow.

Deep in the Everfree, the sky was covered by natural foliage of the trees, and as such, Josh remained unaware of the clouds of smoke billowing out from the dragon-cave at the top of the mountain.

His fish cleaned and smoked, he was walking in the forest, trying to find some fruits to add to his collection of dried foods. his jacket had dirt and scratches covering it, and his beard had grown to nearly an inch of unkempt facial hair. his always messy hair was even more wild, with bits of wood and dirt tangled in it. he continued to walk, until he found a small grove of what appeared to be grapefruit trees. Looking around he could see the remains of an old farm, now rotted to the point that it had to be over a century old. While not normally a fan of the large citrus, Josh was more than happy to throw rocks upwards until he had knocked down a dozen of the large fruits, always aiming for the ripest he could find.

He wrapped the fruits up in his jacket, and tied the sleeves around his torso, making a type of carry-sling to use while walking. He then fond a large, long stick and began to search through the debris of the old farm-house in search of anything he could find to help him survive.

"Girls, This is no laughing matter." Twilight had to be stern...if only to keep from giggling herself, The impressions of PinkiePie always made her laugh. "Fluttershy, you have the most experience with wild animals, what do you think the dragon will be like?"

The friends all paused when no reply came. "What are ya waiting for? an invitation?" While Rainbow Dash was no farm pony, the time she spent with Applejack in friendly competition caused her to pick up a few quirks of the language.

"Oooohh i think i have one in my bag!" The resulting blast of sound and confetti managed to re-arrange Rainbow Dash's mane for a few seconds as her feathers were nearly scared off.

After a few moments of bickering between the females, Fluttershy was airborne...only for her wings to snap shut as the dragon's snores caused a tremor of fear to shoot through her.

Despite Rainbow Dash's many complaints about them taking too long, it was decided that Apple Jack and Fluttershy would take a separate path around the mountain.

'Derpy would have been a better choice' Rainbow Dash thought to herself. While the mail pony was known to be a bit of a klutz, she had no shortage of courage.

After an hour of searching, Josh had managed to get a number of splinters, and a few bruises. but his new collection was worth it in his mind. The barn had held a large number of farm-tools, including an old axe with a rotten handle. The head had been kept in a sheath of some un-known material, but was still sharp and rust free. Josh would work on a new handle for the tool tomorrow, but for now he needed to clean up his hands, and get back to his camp before nightfall.

The axe, however paled in comparison to the other treasure he had fond, one which now set in his pocket. who ever had lived there before, had left an old bag of harvested coffee beans. most had rotted, or begun to grow root(these he planted, hoping to soon have a field of coffee plants with his new source of citrus.) but a few handfuls had been still good, and he had just enough, he guessed for three pots of coffee. He also carried a set of metal eating utensils. He was loath to call them silverware, since they were not silver, but appeared to be aluminum instead.

as he walked, he tripped over a protrusion in the ground, and caught himself with his stick. looking down out or reflex, he saw the top of what appeared to be a wooden box sticking up at an angle.

Deciding to leave it for the next day, he set one of his precious grapefruits down as a marker, and kept on walking.

"But the rainbow one kicked me..."

Twilight, Pinkie, Rarity, Rainbow, and Applejack couldn't believe what they were seeing. all day, Fluttershy had been a meek, scared pony, hiding from her own shadow, and delaying their trek up the mountain. Now, the moment they needed her most. she had actually come to their rescue.

Watching as this large, ferocious beast of a dragon whimpered and made excuses, the five friends were in awe at Fluttershy's apparent bravery.

"I know, and I'm sorry for that. but your bigger than she is, and should know better than to pick on her just because of her size." Fluttershy was able to use her natural abilities to work with animals to put this big bully of a dragon in its place.

"But I..."

"Don't you 'BUT I' Me mister. Now what do you have to say for yourself?"

",...I'm sorry..."

"Good, Now you need to find a place to take a nap away from every living thing that your snores could hurt."

relieved to be out from under the glare of this small yellow pony, The dragon quickly scooped up it's treasure, and flew away.

Spike had not been having a good day. The animals were everywhere. Twilight had left him a list of chores to do in addition to watching the animals, and when ever he tried to work with one task, the animals went crazy.

He had managed to make some form of headway, but it wasn't enough for the young scaled assistant to feel he would escape a lecture about being lazy.

Pulling Angel down from the bookshelves for what seemed like the thousandth time today, Spike felt a combination of fear and relief as the six adventuring ponies came into the library, laughing about their time out on the mountain.

With a few gentle words, Fluttershy had the animals all running back to the meadow and spike couldn't help but grumble under his breath about how easy the care-giver of the meadow made it look.


End file.
